View Full Version : Who Builds Good Mandola Bridges?
I just picked up an Eastman mandola to have some fun with. Right out of the box it sounds pretty good but I'd bet that its sound could be improved by retrofitting it with a really good quality bridge and possibly tailpiece too.
If this were a mandolin I'd know exactly where to go for each but since I'm a mandola neophyte I have no idea where to start looking for these components.
If any of you can help point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it. THANKS!
mandroid
Sep-27-2006, 11:26am
take it to a luthier and get one made for it, its intonation that is the mechanical fine tuning. first decide what strings you like best, then a set-up will make adjustments for precisely those.. so give it some time first..
I have a 400 mm scale mandola, which I find GHS Octave mandolin strings are just right. ... having discovered what is packaged as 'Mandola' strings are too heavy.
IMHO, YMMV, etc.
Daniel Nestlerode
Sep-27-2006, 12:12pm
My favotite tailpieces are made by Randy Allen. (www.allenguitar.com/tpcs.htm)
I agree with mandroid on the bridge issue. You should have a luthier do a set up. In fact do the set up before replacing the bridge. See if you don't actually need to replace it.
Daniel
Thanks for getting back to me! See ... the thing is, I think one of the posts on the bridge is ever so slightly bent ... not enough to really affect intonation in a discernable way but enough (being the compulsive obsessive that I am) to bug me.
I probably won't replace the bridge immediately but if its still eating at me a month from now I thought it would be good to know where I could go to get a replacement. Does anyone make good replacement mandola bridges that you know of (as they do for mandolins) or is this a "custom build"?
Thanks again!
Greg H.
Sep-27-2006, 1:13pm
Greg Boyd has a Mandola bridge in his 'Mandolin Parts' section:
Greg Boyd (http://www.gregboyd.com/ShoppingCart/ViewCategories.asp?CategoryID=419)
So that's one good place to try.
Jim Garber
Sep-27-2006, 1:18pm
I was under the impression that the tailpieces that gibson used for mandolins and mandolas were the same. Not sure about the bridges -- I would think the mandola ones were slightly larger, but possibly not.
Jim
Gail Hester
Sep-27-2006, 4:13pm
Steve Smith at Cumberland Acoustic is making fantastic mandola bridges. That's where I get mine and I'm not alone.
wdrysd
Sep-27-2006, 5:47pm
I just got one from Cumberland Acoustics - very nice, and great service.
W Drysdale
Eric F.
Sep-27-2006, 5:51pm
Another vote for Cumberland Acoustic.
mandroid
Sep-27-2006, 6:05pm
only Fussing over it for a month? dang , I played mine for a few years before getting the fixed height bridge cut [an eighth of an inch] down to lower the action, (and then Going to lighter strings) ..
FWIW, remember: that base of the bridge has to be matched precisely to the arch on the top of your instrument, to be in full contact for best tone transfer.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Great advice! Thanks everyone!! I wasn't aware that Cumberland Acoustics made mandola bridges but given his reputation for mandolin bridges, I will absolutely check him out!!
Now ... what about tailpieces? Would an Allen or a James mandolin tailpiece fit an Eastman mandola? Does anyone have any experience with this?
I've been playing this thing more tonight and I'm liking it. A few tweaks and I think its got potential that might exceed what it cost. In short, I'm not regretting the investment! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Jim Hilburn
Sep-28-2006, 12:19pm
I've been working on a 5-string electric archtop, and needed a bridge.
I ordered a Cumberland mandola bridge and Steve sent it with a blank uncut saddle. However, I knew I would need a wider saddle because with a 5-string, there's a lot of compensation needed, especially for the C string.
So I made a new one, but the wider saddle was going to completely cover the Loar-size thumb-wheels. One of my very early mandolins hanging on the wall had a bridge that I probably got from Siminoff, and it had the big Monroe-size wheels on it. I robbed them and got some new posts that was the right thread for them and installed all of that on the Cumberland base.
The point is, I usually just get Steve's bridges for my mandolins and now after spending probably 5-6 hours making the saddle I can really apprieciate that such great equipment is readily available at a very affordable price.
Thank you Steve Smith.